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Updated: May 23, 2026

Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
How can we best detect atrial fibrillation?
1General Practice & Primary Care Research Unit, Strangeways Research Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Wort's Causeway, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK.
Screening for atrial fibrillation (AF) can utilize pulse palpation or single-lead ECGs. Opportunistic screening is more cost-effective than universal 12-lead ECGs, and expert interpretation is crucial for accurate AF diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Diagnostic Medicine
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence is rising, increasing stroke risk.
- Effective detection strategies for AF are crucial for stroke prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review optimal methods for detecting atrial fibrillation.
- To evaluate screening tests, diagnostic accuracy, and monitoring strategies for AF.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review addressing five key questions on AF detection.
- Analysis of screening tests (pulse palpation, single-lead ECG, new devices).
- Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy of healthcare professionals and software, and monitoring strategies (Holter, serial ECGs).
Main Results:
- Pulse palpation, single-lead ECG, and new devices show acceptable sensitivity for screening.
- Opportunistic screening is more cost-effective than universal 12-lead ECGs.
- Expert interpretation of 12-lead ECGs is essential; software alone is insufficient. Longer monitoring detects more paroxysmal AF (PAF).
Conclusions:
- Optimizing AF detection involves appropriate screening, expert ECG interpretation, and extended monitoring for suspected PAF.
- Further research on cost-effectiveness and optimal monitoring duration for post-stroke patients is needed.
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